These are some definitions of Critical
Thinking according to the people who write the textbooks or article on the subject. This
is for references for the readers who like to explore further on this topic. The content
is quoted from a
website.

"plays an important
part in social change . . . institutions in any society - courts, governments, schools,
businesses - are the products of a certain way of thinking."

"helps us uncover bias
and prejudice."

"is a path to freedom
form half-truths and deceptions."

"the willingness to
change one point of view as we continue to examine and re-examine ideas that may seem
obvious. Such thinking takes time and the willingness to say three subversive words: I
don't know."

Critical thinkers:
distinguish between fact and opinion; ask questions; make detailed observations; uncover
assumptions and define their terms; and make assertions based on sound logic and solid
evidence.

is willing to examine
beliefs, assumptions, and opinions and weigh them against facts

listens carefully to
others and is able to give feedback

sees that critical
thinking is a lifelong process of self-assessment

suspends judgment until
all facts have been gathered and considered

looks for evidence to
support assumption and beliefs

are able to adjust
opinions when new facts are found

looks for proof

examines problems closely

are able to reject
information that is incorrect or irrelevant

Ferrett, S. Peak Performance
(1997).

"Critical thinking is
best understood as the ability of thinkers to take charge of their own thinking. This
requires that they develop sound criteria and standards for analyzing and assessing their
own thinking and routinely use those criteria and standards to improve its quality."

"(1) the process of
making judgments in reading: evaluating relevancy and adequacy of what is read . . .
" (2) an act of reading in which a questioning attitude, logical analysis, and
inference are used to judge the worth of what is read according to an established standard
. . . Among the identified skills of critical reading involved in making judgments are
those having to do with the author's intent or purpose; with the accuracy, logic,
reliability and authenticity of writing; and with the literary forms, components, and
devices identified through literary analysis."

Harris and Hodges. (1981). A
Dictionary of Reading and Related Terms, 74.

Critical evaluation is
"the process of arriving at a judgment about the value or impact of a text by
examining its quality in terms of form, style, and rhetorical features, the readability of
the author and the consistency between ideas it presents and the reader's experience,
including . . . internal evaluation . . . and external evaluation . . ."

Harris and Hodges. (1995).
The Literacy Dictionary, 48.

Critical readers are:

willing to spend time
reflecting on the ideas presented in their reading assignments

able to evaluate and solve
problems while reading rather than merely compile a set of facts to be memorized

logical thinkers

diligent in seeking out
the truth

eager to express their
thoughts on a topic

seekers of alternative
views on a topic

open to new ideas that may
not necessarily agree with their previous thought on a topic

able to base their
judgments on ideas and evidence

able to recognize errors
in thought and persuasion as well as to recognize good arguments

willing to take a critical
stance on issues

able to ask penetrating
and thought-provoking questions to evaluate ideas

in touch with their
personal thoughts and ideas about a topic

willing to reassess their
views when new or discordant evidence is introduced and evaluated

able to identify arguments
and issues

able to see connections
between topics and use knowledge from other disciplines to enhance their reading and
learning experiences